Writing Prompt: Open to Revision by Lisa Ahn

This month’s Literary Reflections essay is a beautiful, lyrical piece of writing called Open to Revision by Lisa Ahn.

Ahn paints a vivid picture of her efforts to be both a mother and writer, and draws a compelling conclusion:

“So, I am tossing out my either/or, with all its tight-laced limitations. Stories come from the conflicts that sustain them. Sparks gather at the meeting places. The alternative is all flat plains, no pajamas wedged in corners, no plastic flower rings. And there’s no me in that terrain. No stories, either. I’ll take the squeaky hinge, the convergence of motherhood and writing, with all the flaws intact, and space enough to roam.”

Do you identify with Ahn’s experience of wrestling with two seemingly incompatible roles: mother and writer? How has that dance exhausted or energized you, and what conclusions have you drawn about how to make peace with the messy convergence of motherhood and writing?

Submit a 500-word response to this writing prompt by August 15th for feedback from our editors. Email it to LMreflectionsATliterarymamaDOTcom and note “Open to Revision” in your subject line. We’ll publish our favorites on the blog.